Oiling System

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flykorvair
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2017 5:12 pm

Oiling System

Post by flykorvair »

Helping a friend with his 69 with a 110. With a direct reading oil pressure gauge reading 30 lbs, we are not getting any oil out to the rockers. It just started this. Any thoughts?
Bob Helt
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 9:05 am

Re: Oiling System

Post by Bob Helt »

Oil to the valve rocker box is metered thru the valve lifters. These take some time to start delivering oil and may appear not to be doing so. I think that your observations may be during this period. If the rocker box isn't getting oil at all it will soon let you know by the CHIRPING of the rockers.
Bob Helt
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Trip
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Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 5:59 pm
Location: Lake Ariel, PA

Re: Oiling System

Post by Trip »

Hi there! I don't think there is anyone more expert than Bob Helt when it comes to Corvairs, check out his awesome books!

Reading your post I'm assuming that the car has been getting driven and this problem just suddenly cropped up? Just in case a couple words of advice: As Mr. Helt said the lifters can take some time to start delivering oil. Once in a while when we start one of our 'Vairs we will hear loud lifter noise. On a couple of occasions it took over fifteen minutes to quiet down and I only let it go that long after being told that his happens.

So, assuming that I understand your post correctly this is not the case in your (friends) case. The car was recently running fine and now the car gave some trouble (noise? performance?) which caused you to remove the valve covers and none of them are delivering oil? How long has the engine been run at a stretch since the trouble started? Are you sure it's both left and right banks, all 12 lifters?

If this is the case my only guess (and someone with more knowledge of the specifics of the oiling system in the Corvair engine might correct me here, is that there is an oil passage being blocked. I actually have a similar problem with my 140 engine, but it's only the left bank if I recall correctly. The lifters just don't seem to be pumping up properly on the one side. I haven't taken it apart yet but I suspect that the culprit might be RTV used when assembling the engine. When I put this together twelve or so years ago I didn't know any better, just about any Corvair nut will tell you to never use RTV when sealing up your engine. It's tempting to try to prevent oil leaks but the bits that squeeze out on the inside can eventually break loose and wreak havoc with your oiling system.

Sorry for the wall of text, I tend to do that! :typing:
Ray "Trip" Rodriguez III
Gouldsboro, PA
66 Corsa 140 coupe
65 Corsa 180 Turbocharged coupe
64 Monza Convertible
61 Air conditioned Monza coupe (Missy's)
See them here: https://tinyurl.com/ydc7txrf
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